Communication systems are known to convey data from one entity to another. The data may be audio data, video data and/or text data. In such communication systems, the data is transmitted via one or more transmission mediums (e.g., radio frequencies, coaxial cable, twisted pair copper wire, fiber optic cabling, et cetera) in accordance with one or more data transmission protocols. The distance over which the data traverses within a communication system may be inches, feet, miles, tens of miles, hundreds of miles, thousands of miles, et cetera.
As is also known, communication systems have two basic configurations: wide area networks (WAN) and local area networks (LAN). In addition, WAN and/or LAN communication systems may use a variety of transmission types including broadcast transmissions, asymmetrical transmissions, and symmetrical transmissions. In a broadcast communication system, a network hub transmits data to a plurality of users with little or no data being transmitted from the users to the network hub. Examples of broadcast communication systems include radio systems, NTSC (national television standards committee) television systems (e.g., regular TV), high definition television systems, cable systems, and satellite systems. In each of these broadcast communication systems, a network hub (e.g., radio station, television station, et cetera) transmits a broadcast signal. Any user within range of the broadcast signal and who has an appropriate receiver (e.g., radio, television, et cetera) can receive the broadcast signal. Such broadcast systems employ a particular data transmission protocol such as amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, ultra-high frequency, very high frequency, et cetera.
Asymmetrical communication systems transmit more data in one direction than in another (i.e., one entity transmits to others more than it receives data from each of the other entities). An example of an asymmetrical communication system is the Internet, where web servers transmit substantially more data than they receive from any one user. The Internet uses TCP/IP as its data transmission protocol, while a variety of physical layer data transmission protocols may be used to access the Internet. Such physical layer data transmission protocols include asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), frame relay, integrated services digital network (ISDN), digital subscriber loop (DSL) and all derivatives thereof, and multiple packet label switching (MPLS). Such asymmetrical communication systems may be wide area networks (e.g., the Internet), or local area networks (e.g., local server based system).
Symmetrical communication systems include a plurality of users where the data flow between any of the users could be equal. Examples of symmetrical communication systems include public switch telephone network (PSTN), local computer networks, cellular telephone systems, intercom systems, private branch exchanges (PBX), et cetera. Such symmetrical communication systems use at least one data transmission protocol. For example, a computer network may utilize any one of the Ethernet standards.
In any type of communication system, a user must have the appropriate receiving and possibly transmitting equipment to independently access the communication system. For example, a user of a satellite television system must have a satellite receiver and a television to receive satellite broadcast. If another television is to independently access the satellite broadcast, it needs its own satellite receiver. The same is true for NTSC broadcast, cable broadcast, et cetera, although currently most televisions include an NTSC tuner and/or some form of cable tuner.
With the number of households having multiple television sets increasing, and many users wanting the latest and greatest video viewing services. As such, many households have multiple satellite receivers, cable set-top boxes, modems, et cetera. As is further known, dependent multiple access to satellite broadcasts may be achieved by linking slave televisions to a master television. The master television has full control of, and independent access to, the satellite receiver while the slave televisions receive whatever channel has been selected by the master.
Each of the televisions, satellite receivers and/or any other type of home entertainment device may be controlled via a remote control device to change the channel, increase/decrease volume, etc. Such a remote control device may be programmed to provide remote control of multiple televisions, satellite receivers, and/or any other type of home entertainment device. As is known, a remote control device communicates with a television, satellite receiver, and/or any other type of home entertainment device via a radio frequency or infrared communication path.
While a remote control device may be programmed to control multiple entertainment devices, it does so merely as an extension of input controls of the device. Such as remote control device does not function as a supervisor of a local area network or of an individual device within the network. Such a supervisory role would include, but is not limited to, preemptive control of a device in the network, monitoring a device in the network, disabling all or part of the network, and setting accessing restrictions on a device-by-device basis locally or from a remote location.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus that provides remote control and/or monitoring of a multimedia system locally or from a remote location.